


Girl in Darkness

by Kurisuta



Series: Spirit Girl [1]
Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Canon, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family Secrets, Healing, Magic, Magic-Users, Original Character(s), Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Priestesses, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:54:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27461533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurisuta/pseuds/Kurisuta
Summary: Kenshin, lost in the darkness of Battousai, seeks sanctuary at a shrine. The shrine priestess Kurisuta uses her power of communing with the dead to invoke Tomoe. Will Kenshin ever truly heal when the priestess is broken as well.
Relationships: Himura Kenshin/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Spirit Girl [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006395





	1. Invoke

I was meditating in my shrine. I was watching the hearth flame to divine the future. All was quiet.

Suddenly the fire leapt, and went out.

I whirled. This was only a reaction to a powerful aura.

Standing there was a samurai, with a sword at his hip. He was covered in blood and quivering. He wasn’t going to live very long without help.

He swung his sword at me. I lifted the blade from my waist and met his strike.

His eyes were hard and cold. He had completely taken leave of his senses. He was just killing indiscriminately.

“The kind thing would be to kill you.” I said. “You can’t live with a shattered soul like that.”

The samurai answered with a growl. Not even capable of speech.

I opened my silver eyes and peered deep into the shambles of his soul. Finally after some more fighting, I spoke.

“What would Tomoe say?”

A choked gasp.

The samurai dropped his bloodied blade and stood shaking, staring at his hands in horror. “K-Kill me.”

“I won’t.” I snarled at him. “Your awake now. You have a life now. A life Tomoe died for! Don’t you dare mock her sacrifice by taking the easy way out!”

With his last breath, he whispered “Sanctuary.” He then collapsed.

I quickly gathered him in my arms, managing a spell to make myself strong enough to carry him. I put him in our infirmary and took off most of his clothes. The samurai was covered in wounds.

I put my hands on his chest and poured my blue silver healing magic into his form. His body bucked slightly as the healing energy saved his life, and then he collapsed, the wounds stitching together as his breathing calmed into a sleeping rhythm.

His eyes opened and pain twisted his features. “I-I apologize, that I do. This one will not die. My name is Kenshin Himura. I am...” His hand found his sword and held the hilt. “I am a rurouni.”

“Alright...Rurouni Kenshin.” I grinned. “My name is Kurisuta Hikawa. I am the priestess of this shrine. As long as you claim sanctuary here, you are not permitted to die.”

“Kuri-dono.” Kenshin said. “I wanted to thank you for...before...and for allowing me sanctuary and healing my wounds. Otherwise I would have died.”

I blushed. “I knew when I saw you.”

“Knew what?” Kenshin looked at me curiously.

“I know that you are a good man Kenshin.” I said seriously. “Even if you don’t believe it of yourself.”

His eyes closed.

Xxx

Kenshin lay there. He was unable to move.

The images of blood and death stained his eyelids.

The priestess...where had she gone? He found himself desperate for her calming presence.

His eyes found her in the corner, asleep in the chair.

As if responding to his pain, her aura lit silver. The soothing light calmed his wounded soul and Kenshin drifted into sleep.


	2. Secrets

I was in the shrine, practicing. But I kept falling and hurting.

My body was too weak. It was too painful to keep going but I had to try.

I had to become strong. So Kenshin wouldn’t have to fight anymore.

I knew how the fighting was hurting him inside, and I couldn’t bear it. Each time he fought such darkness filled his aura.

I lunged and gasped, falling into his arms.

“Kenshin!” I said.

“Oro?”

Xxx

“I don’t understand why you fight like this.” Kenshin said after putting her to bed. “Your body cannot take it.”

“I don’t care.” Kuri snarled. “I won’t let your aura become corrupted any further.”

“Oh...that.” Kenshin frowned.

Maybe it was time to tell her the truth. She already knew about Tomoe.

There was a long silence and then Kenshin spoke. “I was the Hitokiri Battousai. I...killed a lot of people. Then I made a vow not to kill and became a rurouni. That is why I headed to your shrine. I thought you could help me and you did.”

He paused and put his hands on her shoulders.

“But you can stop now.” Kenshin said. “I’m safe. Your barrier won’t let anyone hurt us. It’s...alright to let yourself be protected.”

He petted her and kissed her forehead as she drifted to sleep.

“You sleep now. It’s alright that it is.”


	3. Connection

_I was dreaming._

_I walked the fields of battle and all was quiet._

_He stood there, unmoving, blood staining his blade, cross shaped scar on his cheek._

_“You are what lives in Kenshin.” I whispered. “His fighting spirit. Battousai.”_

_“Something’s changed.” He said. “Something’s different.”He turned to me. “I have a reason to fight. You cannot continue harming yourself. I will protect you.”_

_“You don’t know what you are protecting.” I said softly._

_“I know you killed your little brother.” Battousai said. “I know it was an accident borne of errant magic. Just like Tomoe. That is why she let you see her. You know me more than any human could. Please. Let me do this.”_

_“I—“_

_A finger to my lips, then a kiss, as the land soaked with blood faded and became a field of flowers, and a shrine, with small voices calling to us._

I awoke.

xxx

Kenshin and Kuri were working hand in hand in the temple, getting ready for the Harvest Festival.

He pondered his dreams. The priestess really was just like him. She could truly understand his pain.

His train of thought was interrupted by a cry.

“OI!’ Sanosuke ran up, trailed by a red headed girl. “Kenshin! Found ya!”

“Reiko! You’ve come home!” Kuri got up and hugged the girl. “This is my sister, Reiko. And I guess you already know this guy.”

“Sanosuke Sagara.” He grinned. “This girl here’s gonna be my woman.”

Reiko shrugged him off and rolled her eyes.

“Feisty.” Sanosuke said. “Playin hard to get but she likes me.”

Kenshin and I both laughed, troubles forgotten.


End file.
